Skuad olahraga negara berbangga dengan pencapaian jaguh lompat tinggi, Lee Hup Wei, yang meraih tangga kelapan Kejohanan Dunia 2019 di Doha, Qatar.
Ternyata, usia 32 tahun bukan penghalang untuknya mencipta rekod sebagai atlet olahraga pertama Malaysia beraksi dalam final Kejohanan Dunia.
Malah, apa yang menarik ialah sikap Hup Wei yang merendah diri.
"Cukuplah berlatih di Bukit Jalil. Saya selesa dengan apa yang ada tapi selepas ini, saya minta KOM (Kesatuan Olahraga Malaysia) dan MSN (Majlis Sukan Negara) lebih banyak menghantar saya beraksi dalam kejohanan antarabangsa.
"Ia penting untuk melepasi had kelayakan Sukan Olimpik atau mengumpul mata ranking dunia," katanya.
Had kelayakan Olimpik Tokyo ialah 2.33 meter selain menghuni kelompok 32 ranking terbaik dunia.
Catatan terbaik Hup Wei ialah 2.29 meter ketika peringkat kelayakan kejohanan di Dubai itu.
Saya terfikir sejenak.
Atlet paling senior dalam skuad olahraga negara, dua kali layak ke Sukan Olimpik, pernah muncul juara Asia, deretan emas Sukan SEA tetapi tetap merendah diri.
Dia tahu apa yang diperlukan untuk mencapai misi peribadi.
Bukannya seperti sesetengah atlet yang hanya tahu meminta-minta tapi 'habuk pun tadak'.
Saya fikir Hup Wei patut dijadikan contoh.
Berlatih di kampung sendiri pun boleh cemerlang. Apa yang penting disiplin, kemahuan dan dedikasi untuk menggalas tugas negara.
Saya mendoakan Hup Wei layak ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo. Mungkin itu Sukan Olimpik terakhirnya.
Bazly Azmi
Sat Oct 05 2019


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